PA Dept. of Labor and Industry, Uninsured Employers Guaranty Fund v. WCAB (Kendrick and Timberline Tree & Landscaping LLC)

**What Happened** This case involved a worker named Kendrick who was injured while working for Timberline Tree & Landscaping LLC in November 2011. The problem was that his employer didn't have workers' compensation insurance, which is required by law. When employers don't have this insurance, Pennsylvania's Uninsured Employers Guaranty Fund is supposed to step in and pay benefits to injured workers. However, there was a dispute about when the Fund should start paying benefits to Kendrick, since he didn't notify them about his injury until February 2012. **What the Court Decided** The court made a split decision. It ruled that the Fund must pay all of Kendrick's medical bills going back to the date he was actually injured (November 2011). However, the Fund only has to pay wage loss benefits starting from when Kendrick gave them notice of his injury (February 2012). **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling shows that injured workers can still get help even when their employers illegally skip workers' compensation insurance. However, it's crucial for workers to notify the state fund as quickly as possible after an injury, because delays in reporting can cost them months of wage replacement benefits.